Day Nineteen - St Ives to Botallack 24.0km (14.9 miles).
Time on route 7:05hrs, walking time 6:55hrs.
Saturday 23 May 2015
It was a beautiful journey down by train from Exeter. I love this line and it was a treat to sit there with a glass of wine and watch the world go by. The train initially tracks down the west side of the Exe Estuary.
It then hugs the coast past the infamous Dawlish section before heading inland and crossing the Teign River.
The River Plym.
And crossing the Hamoaze into Cornwall.
My B&B, Honeydew, was small, cute and 2 minutes from the railway station. Perfect.
I caught the bus to St Ives early the next morning. I got a bit lost in the labyrinth of St Ives' lanes wasting 10 mins retracing my steps before I was where I needed to be. Fog was forecast for the first hour or so of my walk. It certainly was.
Today's leg was billed as remote with exhilarating views. Well, it was certainly remote. And a bit boggy.
In fact, as you often find on the SWCP, someone had kindly provided a board.
And this was very up market boarding.
My guide book stated that there was a paucity of signage on this part. Well, I found the signs. They just appeared to be lacking a little something. Like information.
The path looked easy to follow which, in the main it was. However it was hard going under foot with bogs, rocks and boulders. The boulder parts involved scrambling and I often found that I lost the path at this juncture.
My walk was punctuated by finds of the brown zoological kind. I saw 5 of these wee furry fellows sprinting across my route.
And this Speckled Wood 'tircis' butterfly.
Aha - my first trig of the day. Carn Naun (TP1977) in the fog.
A couple of hours in and I was still in cloud. It hadn't cleared west of St Ives. However it did mean that the spiders webs glistened for me.
It was like my own magical kingdom in the mist. Still and absolutely silent.
Aha, big brown things. I walked past 3 sets of these and, although I wasn't brave enough each time to chase them off my path - preferring to scramble through the brambles to avoid them - my small claim to fame was that I didn't at least hop over the fence as I have been known to. [To my shame that was only because there were also cows in the adjoining field!]
A few hours in and I was certainly not finding exhilarating views very exciting. But once in a while I was near enough the sea to see it.
My second trig, TP7111, was a harder find. I went cross country through gorse and brambles to bag this one. I drew blood on this hunt which always makes the find so much sweeter.
Brown find number 4 of the day was a pheasant and her four chicks. They kept getting lost in the undergrowth (you can just make out a furry blob in front of the mother here) and she was chirping away so they could keep up with her.
Aside from heather, gorse, rocks, stunted trees, stones, boulders and brown things there wasn't much to look at on this stretch. The views were non-existant and I realised I was missing people's mark on the land. Once in a long while I found some evidence.
Brown thing number 5.
By 1330 the mist was breaking up and occasionally I had some sun. A quick lunch spot at Porthmeor Cove.
I had some company crossing this cove. It was being used by a set of climbers who camped locally.
You can just about make them out climbing.
At last Pendeen Lighthouse drew into view. Did I mention the fog?
I had run out of water by this point and, to be honest, was a bit tired of trudging. How my spirits lifted when the mist lifted and I saw this view!
Geevor Tin Mine is long since abandoned but now is home to a museum.
And the coast path goes smack through it which is wonderful.
I love this: plants growing on disused buildings. Nature and construction - the two intertwined.
Levant Mine is nearby and now administered by the National Trust.
Now this confused me. OK, I know what it is, but it wasn't on my map. It's Botallack Head,TP1534, and actually on the 1:50 000 but not the portion of the 1:25 000. I stood there scratching my head, jabbing at the map and frowning at the trig. Two people walked past and quizzically looked at me and then the lump of concrete expecting to see something interesting. They obviously didn't and scuttled away quickly. I was considering pointing out to them that it wasn't on my map but thought better of it. I think I looked odd enough as it was.
I came off the path at Botallack and fell into the local pub for water and coke. I was so thirsty.
The bus took me back to Penzance. Of course, it looked as if Penzance had been bathed in sunshine all day long.
There were clear views across to St Michael's Mount and I look forward to walking past this old friend. I really should build in time when I do for a cup of tea on the island for old time's sake.
Time on route 7:05hrs, walking time 6:55hrs.
Saturday 23 May 2015
It was a beautiful journey down by train from Exeter. I love this line and it was a treat to sit there with a glass of wine and watch the world go by. The train initially tracks down the west side of the Exe Estuary.
It then hugs the coast past the infamous Dawlish section before heading inland and crossing the Teign River.
The River Plym.
And crossing the Hamoaze into Cornwall.
My B&B, Honeydew, was small, cute and 2 minutes from the railway station. Perfect.
I caught the bus to St Ives early the next morning. I got a bit lost in the labyrinth of St Ives' lanes wasting 10 mins retracing my steps before I was where I needed to be. Fog was forecast for the first hour or so of my walk. It certainly was.
Today's leg was billed as remote with exhilarating views. Well, it was certainly remote. And a bit boggy.
In fact, as you often find on the SWCP, someone had kindly provided a board.
And this was very up market boarding.
My guide book stated that there was a paucity of signage on this part. Well, I found the signs. They just appeared to be lacking a little something. Like information.
The path looked easy to follow which, in the main it was. However it was hard going under foot with bogs, rocks and boulders. The boulder parts involved scrambling and I often found that I lost the path at this juncture.
My walk was punctuated by finds of the brown zoological kind. I saw 5 of these wee furry fellows sprinting across my route.
And this Speckled Wood 'tircis' butterfly.
Aha - my first trig of the day. Carn Naun (TP1977) in the fog.
A couple of hours in and I was still in cloud. It hadn't cleared west of St Ives. However it did mean that the spiders webs glistened for me.
It was like my own magical kingdom in the mist. Still and absolutely silent.
Aha, big brown things. I walked past 3 sets of these and, although I wasn't brave enough each time to chase them off my path - preferring to scramble through the brambles to avoid them - my small claim to fame was that I didn't at least hop over the fence as I have been known to. [To my shame that was only because there were also cows in the adjoining field!]
A few hours in and I was certainly not finding exhilarating views very exciting. But once in a while I was near enough the sea to see it.
My second trig, TP7111, was a harder find. I went cross country through gorse and brambles to bag this one. I drew blood on this hunt which always makes the find so much sweeter.
Brown find number 4 of the day was a pheasant and her four chicks. They kept getting lost in the undergrowth (you can just make out a furry blob in front of the mother here) and she was chirping away so they could keep up with her.
Aside from heather, gorse, rocks, stunted trees, stones, boulders and brown things there wasn't much to look at on this stretch. The views were non-existant and I realised I was missing people's mark on the land. Once in a long while I found some evidence.
Brown thing number 5.
By 1330 the mist was breaking up and occasionally I had some sun. A quick lunch spot at Porthmeor Cove.
I had some company crossing this cove. It was being used by a set of climbers who camped locally.
You can just about make them out climbing.
At last Pendeen Lighthouse drew into view. Did I mention the fog?
I had run out of water by this point and, to be honest, was a bit tired of trudging. How my spirits lifted when the mist lifted and I saw this view!
Geevor Tin Mine is long since abandoned but now is home to a museum.
And the coast path goes smack through it which is wonderful.
I love this: plants growing on disused buildings. Nature and construction - the two intertwined.
Levant Mine is nearby and now administered by the National Trust.
Now this confused me. OK, I know what it is, but it wasn't on my map. It's Botallack Head,TP1534, and actually on the 1:50 000 but not the portion of the 1:25 000. I stood there scratching my head, jabbing at the map and frowning at the trig. Two people walked past and quizzically looked at me and then the lump of concrete expecting to see something interesting. They obviously didn't and scuttled away quickly. I was considering pointing out to them that it wasn't on my map but thought better of it. I think I looked odd enough as it was.
I came off the path at Botallack and fell into the local pub for water and coke. I was so thirsty.
The bus took me back to Penzance. Of course, it looked as if Penzance had been bathed in sunshine all day long.
There were clear views across to St Michael's Mount and I look forward to walking past this old friend. I really should build in time when I do for a cup of tea on the island for old time's sake.
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